You no doubt want to use your outdoor furniture and wooden terrace or decking as often as possible. But this can lead to wear and tear, as well as the effects of the weather. However, the durability will increase if you spend a short time taking care of the material, and your time spent outdoors will be more pleasant. Oil the surfaces at regular intervals so as to give the wood a neat and hardwearing surface.
You will never obtain good end-results if you neglect the preparatory work, so it is worth allowing for a little extra time for washing and sanding. We promise that it will pay off.
SET LIMITS. Protect surrounding areas such as plants and bushes in borders around the terrace or close to the outdoor furniture. Use tape that is suitable for outdoor environments to fix plastic covering over the surfaces you want to protect. In certain cases, you could use thumbtacks.
ENSURE THAT THE UNDERLYING SURFACE IS CLEAN. All surfaces that are to be oiled must first be cleaned with a wash-down brush and paint cleanser. Use an extension handle if needed. If mould has formed on the surfaces, clean them with a special mould cleanser. Rinse carefully with water and allow to dry before continuing.
SANDING. Start by sanding the wood so as to remove dirt, sharp edges, splinters and uneven parts around screws etc. If you are going to oil a wooden terrace or decking, use an extension handle with an extendable sanding tool so as to make the work easier and more ergonomic. For edges and small surfaces, use sandpaper and a sanding cork. Adapt the grain-size of the sandpaper to the surface concerned.
REMOVE DUST. Carefully remove any dust from the surfaces before starting to oil the terrace or outdoor furniture. Use a suitable dust brush or, even better, a vacuum cleaner for best results.
You are now ready to start the actual oiling. When you choose to do it is entirely up to you, but we recommend late spring when the wood is dry and cool.
SUN AND HEAT? NO THANKS! Avoid oiling the surfaces in strong sunlight, because the oil could dry before penetrating into the wood. Do not oil late in the evening either, because there is a risk that dew falls on the surface before the oil has dried.
BRUSH OR ROLLER? You can oil equally well with a brush or roller, although a roller will save you both time and energy. Try the Platinum Terrace Roller Set, which contains a Platinum Antex maxi-roller, tray and maxi-frame. Use an extension handle to the roller frame to work more easily and to obtain more strength when oiling large surfaces. If you use glaze or pigmented oils, you should use a Basic wood oil brush for best results. Remember to brush in the same direction as the grain of the wood.
NO FORGOTTEN SURFACES. Irrespective of whether you use a roller or a brush, you should also have an angled brush with a long handle so as to get to parts that are difficult to reach. For outdoor furniture, it could also be useful to have a small varnish brush with natural or mixed bristles so as to reach all parts.
BURNING RAGS. Excess oil must be wiped away before it forms a skin and looks unpleasant. Place oily rags in a metal bucket as soon as you have finished using them – they can self-ignite! Soak them then in water or burn them as soon as possible.
TABLE AND CHAIR LEGS. Rain on your outdoor furniture is not a problem as such. What is much worse is the constant moisture from the ground, which has contact with the ends of table or chair legs. The end of a piece of wood will absorb up to ten times more moisture than the planed sides of a slat. Place a tin-lid under each leg, fill with oil, and let the wood absorb the oil for 24 hours..
Maintenance is very important so as to keep your outdoor furniture and wooden terrace or decking in good condition. Wash them and re-oil them each autumn and spring.
WASHING ADVICE. Start by washing the wood to remove any dirt. Use a wash-down brush that tolerates algae and mould cleansers, and that can be fitted to an extension handle. Rinsing the surfaces only with water is the simplest way, and is suitable for only slightly dirty surfaces. High-pressure washing can be used to rinse weather-greyness. Work evenly across the surface so that streaks are not created by the water-jet.
REMOVE MOISTURE FIRST. Let the surfaces dry for about a week before you start oiling so as to avoid rot in the wood. It is advisable to measure the moisture in the wood with a special measurer. You may perhaps be able to borrow one from your paint store. For outdoor painting, the moisture content must be less than 17%.
REMOVE DUST. If you need to sand the surfaces, remove any dust carefully. Use a suitable dust brush or, even better, a vacuum cleaner for best results.
